Good Lord! I'm playing a Knight of The Realm - Sir Ralph Richardson - Sat 14th May 2022 @ 7.30pm on ZOOM!!

Really looking forward to playing SIR RALPH RICHARDSON next Saturday to celebrate INTERNATIONAL DYLAN THOMAS DAY in an AUDIO VERSION of the stage play '3 Knights & 2 Welshmen' written by PT Rose! Everybody who was anybody will be there; Richard Burton (Lyndon Jeremiah), Sir John Gielgud (Stephen Smith), Lord Olivier (Laurence Saunders) with Sir Ralph Richardson (little me!) making up the trilogy of lordly/knighted acting legends, as well as Dylan Thomas (Kerry Frater) and of course an appearance by Elizabeth Taylor (Corrina Haycox) - no surprise there I suppose, it is a play about Richard Burton after all!!

It will be an extraordinary evening so don't forget to BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS for a ZOOM reading on International Dylan Thomas Day. 

BOOK NOW! May 14th 7:30pm BST https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/317657029727 ...

NOT TO BE MISSED!!

Linktree linktr.ee/SeanConnolly

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

The Little English Theatre's 2018 production of John Godber's 'Up N Under' - AVAILABLE FOR ONE WEEK ONLY on VIMEO featuring yours truly!

Up N Under by John Godber. Performed by The Little English Theatre at Redditch Palace Theatre 2018 from Stephan Bessant on Vimeo.

The NATIONAL THEATRE are showing some GREAT STUFF on You Tube at the moment ... but I have some EXCITING NEWS!!! The 2018 production of JOHN GODBER'S classic rugby play 'UP N UNDER' performed by THE LITTLE ENGLISH THEATRE COMPANY at the Palace Theatre Redditch is AVAILABLE on VIMEO for ONE WEEK ONLY as a very special LOCKDOWN SHOWING!! 

MASSIVE THANKS must go to writer JOHN GODBER for giving his permission to show it over the next week ...

I can't quite believe IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY TWO YEARS AGO! I had such a ball (sorry!) acting with my mates on stage - what memories - what a privilege!  

Here's the DIRECT LINK to VIMEO https://vimeo.com/405435368

If you are VERY CLEVER you can DOWNLOAD the VIMEO APP on to your SMART TV if you have one and WATCH IT ON YOUR TELLY!!! 

Remember it's ONLY ON FOR A WEEK STARTING LAST NIGHT 8th APRIL 2020 .... 

PLEASE DO SHARE THIS LINK - IT'S A CRACKING SPORTING UNDERDOG STORY - OH AND IT'S FUNNY!! 

Cast List:

(In order of appearance)

Hazel Scott (Becky Neale)
Arthur Hoyle (Sean Connolly)
Reg Welsh (Paul Lumsden)
Tony Burtoft (Nathan Blyth)
Frank Rowley (Greg Hobbs)
Phil Hopley (Stephan Bessant)
Steve Edwards (Laurence Saunders)
Match Announcer (Paul Lumsden)

Directed & produced (Stephan Bessant)
Directors assistant (Paul Lumsden)
Match choreography (Ben Roddy)

Video recording (Paul Withers)

Rugby match kit designed by Sarah Kitson

ENJOY THE PLAY!! THE INTERVAL IS AT 1HR 3 MINUTES

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

NEXT WEEK - 28th & 29th March - A rare sighting of the Lesser-Crested 'Theatre' Sean in 'Up n Under' at the Redditch Palace Theatre!!

Next week sees my long overdue return to the stage in John Godber's classic rugby comedy 'UP n UNDER' at the Redditch Palace Theatre playing Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th March at 7.30pm for THE LITTLE ENGLISH THEATRE ... To book your tickets follow the link http://www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/up-n-under/

It's getting on for nearly TWENTY YEARS since I last appeared in a full length play! "Probably for the best!!" - I hear you cry ;o) I play the 'hero' of the piece, ex-professional rugby player ARTHUR HOYLE who makes a rash bet with local Mister Big REG WELSH that he can train the lamentable Wheatsheaf Arms sevens team to beat Reg's 'unbeatable' Cobblers Arms at the next Castleford Amateur Rugby League Seven-A-Side Tournament!

It's been quite a journey for my little brain to have a complete show in there, a very satisfying one also. Reflecting back on my career, I remember at one stage having TWO PLAYS in my head when I worked at the UNICORN CHILDREN'S THEATRE in the WEST END when I was in both 'STIG OF THE DUMP' and 'THE MONSTER GARDEN' playing in repertory.

It's been a wonderful rehearsal process with a cast including (as it happens) lots of friends who I have never appeared on stage with before and some new - so it's been a real treat all round. The cast includes BECKY NEALE, LAURENCE SAUNDERS, GREG HOBBS, NATHAN BLYTH, PAUL LUMSDEN and STEPHAN BESSANT who also directs!

Come on down next week if you're in the area and have some pre-Easter sporting fun. SCRUM DOWN!!!

Catching 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep ...

Poster for 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep - 7th September 2015.

I spent an exhausting but ultimately very rewarding day at Birmingham Repertory Theatre yesterday courtesy of BOLD Text Playwrights. Together with actress Bharti Patel and director Jessica Dromgoole and the writers, we spent the day rehearsing 8 micro-plays for a script-in-hand performance in the evening at The Door at The Rep.

Sean Connolly rehearsing 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep for the BOLD Text Playwrights - 7th September 2015.

The BOLD Text Playwrights collective consists of EIGHT playwrights: Helen Kelly, Tim Stimpson, Stephen Jackson, Sayan Kent, Vanessa Oakes, Julia Wright, Nicola Jones and Liz John.

Writer Helen Kelly (left corner) with actors Bharti Patel, Sean Connolly and director Jessica Dromgoole deep in rehearsal.

The plays we rehearsed and performed were as follows:

•             Seeing the World Part 1 (Helen Kelly)

•             Stateless (Tim Stimpson)

•             Oceans Apart (Stephen Jackson)

•             Here (Sayan Kent)

•             I’m Staying (Vanessa Oakes)

•             Sunstroke (Julia Wright)

•             The Trip (Nicola Jones)

•             Seeing the World Part 2 (Liz John)

All eight plays had the running theme of British holidaymakers caught up in various types of 'trouble abroad'. All the plays were poignant, also very different in their approach. The roles I had to play were also varied; a liberal sprinkling of Brummies, a mysterious Eastern European and a male stripper!! Oh I've missed theatre!!